Business
Extending TETFund Intervention To Critical Infrastructure
President Muhammadu Buhari
Analysts observe that
the crises of funding the education sector gave birth to the establishment of Education Tax Fund in 1993 which later metamorphosed to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
“In the beginning, the fund was saddled with the responsibilities of revamping, rehabilitating and revatilising infrastructural facilities in tertiary institutions.
“The mandate later covered other areas of need in the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education sectors,’’ analysts observe.
They note that although the fund is mandated to concentrate its interventionist services on the enumerated areas, it should extend its interventions beyond infrastructural development to other service areas.
The fund derives its revenue from the two per cent Education Tax via the Federal Inland Revenue Services that remits the amount collected to the account of the fund.
In the distributing of the fund, 41 per cent of it goes to the universities, 30 per cent to the polytechnics while colleges of education take 29 per cent.
The distributions are essential in the provision of physical infrastructure and equipment, library development, academic staff training and development.
Irrespective of the scope of TETFund intervention, the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, insisted that the fund should extend its intervention in tertiary institutions to critical infrastructure.
According to him, capital votes for the development of critical infrastructure such as roads, optic fibre for internet and hydro-power plant projects from government are inadequate and there is need for TETFund’s intervention in that regard.
He insisted that the fund should take its interventions beyond infrastructure that had direct bearing on teaching and learning.
“We are saying that those infrastructure are very important, we don’t even have enough of them; but at the same time some critical infrastructure are needed to boost the existing ones.
“We need power to run any decent university; we need investment in water provision for the environment to be decent enough, we need fibre optic for internet access and, of course, we need good roads,’’ he said.
The Vice-Chancellor, in an interview, stressed the need for the provision of such critical infrastructure to boost teaching and learning.
“Since every university is a community on its own, it would also be helpful if TETFund could help with the provision of students’ accommodation,’’ he said.
He, nonetheless, admitted that tertiary institutions in the country would not function well without interventions from TETFund.
However, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Prof. Isaac Asuzu, said contractors handling projects for the new universities were contributing to inadequate infrastructure in tertiary education sector.
He said in an interview that contractors handling various projects had been delaying by giving excuses in spite of the huge money released to them by TETFund.
Asuzu urged the Federal Government to increase TETFund’s budget and advised TETFund to ensure effective implementation of its projects.
But the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, insisted that the fund had its mandate and could not function contrary to it.
He said “the fund is commissioned to financially empower higher institutions in Nigeria to fulfil their mandate through the provision of essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning.
“Provision of instructional materials and equipment, research, book development and publication, academic staff training and development.
“Other needs essential for the improvement of quality and maintenance of standards in the educational institutions.’’
He further noted that since the TETFund Act was amended in 2011, it had invested hundreds of billions of naira in tertiary institutions across board — universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
“Through these funds, we have been able to rehabilitate and upgrade laboratories of 51 federal and state polytechnics.
“We have constructed micro-teaching laboratories in 58 federal and state colleges of education.
“We have trained and developed close to 10, 000 academic staff both locally and internationally and supported 29 institutions to develop and publish research journals both locally and internationally,’’ he said.
He observed that the Nigerian education system was often characterised by decrepit infrastructure, deteriorating equipment and facilities, under-equipped laboratories, inadequate textbooks and other teaching materials.
He insisted that the academic institutions had an important role to play, especially in light of the heightened expectations for federal and state tertiary institutions.
“It is clear, of course, that simply investing more money into the system is not itself an answer; how that money is spent matters greatly in creating a strong and vibrant education sector.
“In 2013, TETFund allocations to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education stood at N31.338 billion, N12.950 billion and N12.550 billion respectively.
“These are supposed to complement their Capital Allocations and Internally Generated Revenue.
“Somehow, TETFund intervention funds have remained the guaranteed source of capital allocations in public tertiary institutions in the past two decades,’’ he said.
He observed that availability of funds had never solved all the problems and challenges in tertiary institutions.
“Our recent experiences have shown that the challenges of quality of governance, political interference, corruption and moral degeneration and unethical practices have emerged as very serious issues that all of us, including the various unions in our institution must address,’’ he said.
All in all, he insisted that key stakeholders must be convinced that inclusive and qualitative education reinforced by responsible management in our educational institutions are in dispensable.
Dore is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Nysom Dore
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter